Today we invited our OEM, ODM, and hardware partners to build PCs, displays, accessories and mixed reality devices with the Windows Holographic platform.
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A number of big-name companies have already partnered with Microsoft to adopt or support Windows Holographic, including: Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, HTC, Acer, ASUS, CyberPowerPC, Dell, Falcon Northwest, HP, iBuyPower, Lenovo, and MSI.
In what could be a defining moment in the nascent augment reality and virtual reality spaces, Microsoft Corp. has opened up its Windows Holographic platform, the platform that drives its Hololens augmented reality glasses, to third parties.
Kipman said that “Windows holographic is coming to PCs”, but he didn’t explain whether the OS would actually run on desktop computers and how it would look on a 2D screen.
Microsoft proudly boasts that ‘Windows Holographic unites these worlds and enables innovation across a range of devices’. Developers can start writing Windows Holographic apps today.
Windows Holographic builds on the common Windows platform-the NT kernel, the Windows Store, the Edge browser, and the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) APIs-that is collectively called OneCore.
While the HoloLens has wowed those who have witnessed its capabilities in early demos, Microsoft hasn’t yet pushed the device to consumers.
Microsoft spruiked the business potential of the nascent technology, predicting that more than 80 million virtual reality devices are expected to come on the market annually by 2020. It’s a futuristic description of what it would be like to be using mixed reality – with Minority Report-like hand gestures for controlling holograms of objects that would be in the room.
Microsoft in essence is looking bridge the gap and serve as a friendly go-between to ensure that competing virtual reality hardware platforms shy away from devolving into into petty fisticuffs. “Together we will break down the barrier between virtual and physical reality”.
Terry Myerson, Nick Parker and Alex Kipman talked about Microsoft vision for virtual reality – or mixed reality, as offered by HoloLens.
Although the HoloLens was announced over a year ago at a January 2016 event (we saw it again at E3 2015), but it was at Build 2016 Microsoft confirmed the Developer Edition would ship today (30 March 2016). Interested partners can learn more at http://www.winhec.com.
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By offering software and hardware developers access to Windows Holographic, some of those AR experiences can begin appearing on less expensive devices. This is exactly how the modern PC works with Windows and the plethora of compatible hardware on the market.
